#TuksAthletics: Le Roux got something to prove at the World Student Games

Posted on August 17, 2017

The 2017 athletics season has been a real rollercoaster ride for the South African 400m-hurdles champion, Le Roux Hamman, with definite highlights but unfortunately also disappointments.

 In a way, it is a good thing as it means the Tuks/HPC athlete will be a man on a mission at the World Student Games in Tapei when he lines up to race next Thursday. His best time in the hurdles is 49.24s, but he refuses to believe that he is not capable of running a faster time.

“Thanks to my coach, Lucinda Pienaar, my training has gone well. I have been surprised by some of the times I have clocked during training. More importantly with her help, I regained my confidence as an athlete.”

The Olympian said 2017 feels to him like it has been two separate years wrapped in one.

“Up to the South African Championships, it felt like a dream season in which I was confident of getting to run my breakthrough race, but then everything started going south.”

A definite highlight for the Tuks/HPC athlete was winning his first senior title at the South African Championships in Potchefstroom. The biggest disappointment was not being selected to represent South Africa at the World Championships in London in spite of having qualified according to the standards set by the IAAF. He was also left high and dry mid season in Europe when Hennie Kotze (his former coach) informed him that he is no longer able to work with him. 

According to Le Roux that did impact quite negatively on performance and mindset.

Le Roux is honest when asked how he feels about missing out to compete at the World Championships. 

“I won’t lie it did hurt me emotionally. It is not as if I am competing in athletics for personal glory. I am an athlete because I love the sport. Especially the challenges that go with being a hurdler.  I will say the most important reason why I am competing is to prove to myself that anything is possible if I put my mind to it. 

“The reality, however, is that any athlete who is serious about the sport wants some time to be rewarded. It might just be to get the chance to test yourself against the world’s best. I guess it won’t help to dwell too much on what could have been. I will keep on training and compete up until I feel I have achieved what I set out to do as a hurdler. I have not even come close to doing so. For now, my focus is just the World Student Games.”

Constant Pretorius is the other Tuks 400m-hurdler who has missed out on competing at the World Championships in London in spite of having qualified. Competing in Tapei is for him also the opportunity to prove a point.

 

- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

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